Month: December 2013

Discontentment can rear its ugly head in multiple areas of our lives. If only I had a bigger house. If only my spouse would try harder. I wish our church members were different. No one understands me. I’m the only one doing all the work. When these types of thoughts take root in our hearts, the words coming out of our mouths sound more and more like complaints.

Why complain about what we don’t have? We should be content with what the Lord has given us. Why complain about someone else’s character? Everyone else can observe it as well as we can. Why complain about the state of our nation? The world hears enough of that, and we’re trying to draw others to Christ. Does complaining attract or repel? Why complain about the shortcomings of the Lord’s church? It seems like we should spend more time voicing the blessings of being in God’s family so our coworkers and neighbors will want to know more about it.

Oh, I am stepping ALL OVER my toes. So if complaining is a weakness of yours as well, here is a little list of quotes and Scriptures to print and post. May we all use our tongues to spread the grace and love of Jesus Christ in 2014.

“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers” (Eph. 4:29).

“But let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings!” (Henry Ward Beecher)

“Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned” (James 5:9).

“It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.” (Charles Haddon Spurgeon)

“Now when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; for the Lord heard it, and His anger was aroused” (Num. 11:1).

“Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted…nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer” (1 Cor. 10:6-11).

“It is amazing how many occasions present themselves in which I can choose gratitude instead of a complaint. I can choose to grateful when I am criticized, even when my heart still responds in bitterness. I can choose to speak about goodness and beauty, even when my inner eye still looks for someone to accuse or something to call ugly.” (Henri J.M. Nouwen)

“You say, ‘If I had a little more, I should be very satisfied.’ You make a mistake. If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled.” (Charles Haddon Spurgeon)

“Be hospitable to one another without grumbling” (1 Pet. 4:9).

“Had we not faults of our own, we should take less pleasure in complaining of others.” (Francois Fenelon)

“Ultimately, all our complaints are directed against God.” (Woodrow Kroll)

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thess. 5:16-18).

Prayer for Today: May I strive to be more like Your Son who, even when oppressed and afflicted, ‘opened not His mouth.’

One of the reasons we look forward to Heaven is because of Who is going to be there (Rev. 21:3; John 14:3,4). Because God is love and light, Heaven will be a place of love and light (Rev. 21:23,24; 22:5). If we want our homes to be places of love and light, God must be present. Homes where God is not invited are filled with strife.

Make sure God is present in your home. Christians are members of the household of God (Eph. 2:19), but is God a member of your household? Having God in your home involves more than having religious plaques hanging on the walls. It means that even if you have blank walls, a guest can walk in and tell that your home is a Christian one.

Is your home heavenly because God is present? You can determine the answer by asking yourself some questions:

Do you regularly have Bible studies and devotionals?

Does your family pray together?

Are spiritual things naturally a part of your daily conversations?

Do you continue having family devotionals even when guests are present?

Is your home filled with honor, strength, and goodness…the types of things present where God abides (1 Chron. 16:27)?

Make sure God stays welcome in your home. You may have invited Him in, but are there things in your home that will make it impossible for God to stay? If you want God to be welcome in your home, then some guests will not be welcome. Guests like materialism, dishonesty, selfishness, impatience, a lashing tongue, and worldliness. Any one of these guests might drop in occasionally, unexpectedly, but the God of holiness cannot dwell with them (Isa. 6:3; Rev. 4:8).

According to Isaiah 59:2, God is separate from everything that is sinful. Verse 3 specifically mentions sin committed by hands, and lies and perversities that come out of mouths. If sin abides in your home, no one there will see God or know God (1 John 3:5,6). Worldly things will be noticeably absent in a heavenly home.

Go through your collections of books, movies, and music, and remove any that dishonor God.

Keep your computers in public viewing areas to safeguard against unwholesome surfing.

Make sure the actions that take place in the privacy of your own home would not bring shame on the name of Christ if made public.

Only a holy home will welcome a holy God (1 Pet. 1:15,16). Is the glory of God illuminating your home?

Prayer for Today: May Your presence be found in the home of every Christian.

Our final interview in this series is with my dear friend, JILL JACKSON. She is an easy-to-love Christian woman, and you’ll enjoy reading her practical parenting tips!

Share a little about yourself, please, by way of introduction.

“Jason & I celebrated our 16th anniversary in September. We have 3 daughters (Natalie, 14; Kara, 11; and Allie, 8). Jason preaches at East Main St. church of Christ and works at the Christian Courier. Most of our time is spent homeschooling our girls. I am currently teaching Allie’s Bible class on Sundays and Wednesdays. Sometimes I help with administrative tasks at the Courier, but now that we have several teenagers in our family, we delegate most of those tasks to them.”

We’ve heard about the Christian Courier from Betty and Sandy. What can you tell us about it?

“The Christian Courier is a wonderful avenue for educating the lost and keeping the saved saved. It began as a monthly newsletter, and is now that and much more. We have a website where articles and sermons can be accessed. We hear many wonderful words about individuals searching for the truth who stumbled upon the Courier online– some of which later obeyed the gospel. We are constantly told by preachers, elders, and others within the Lord’s body that the Courier is a useful resource for their daily lives and Bible study. We are proud to be a part of something that provides sound doctrine, encouragement, and beneficial study aids to others.”

*To try a couple of Jill’s favorite recipes, see the end of this post.

If you could give only one piece of marriage and/ or parenting advice, what would it be?

“My one piece of parenting advice would be to parent your children with the relationship you want to have with them as adults in mind. Do you want your home to be a place your children look forward to bringing their families to? Then as they grow up, your home needs to be a place of peace, security, and happiness. Do you want to be someone your children can look to for spiritual guidance and wisdom? Then as they grow up, they need to see you studying your Bible, hear you talking about spiritual things with them, hear your prayers for them and others, and see you walking the walk. Certainly loving, spiritual parents rear their children with the number one goal of helping them get to heaven, but our focus on that important task should not cause us to lose sight of the joy of parenting. Good parenting should cultivate a relationship between the parent and child that brings much delight to the lives of both through all stages of life, not just the years the children live in your home.

My one piece of marriage advice is to have a healthy marriage you must have healthy habits. One can’t expect a strong marriage if their marriage is full of selfishness, score keeping, or a spirituality that lacks roots. Healthy marriages are a result of a union that has Christ at the center, that looks to the needs of their spouse, that proactively focuses on turning good intentions into intentional actions.”

What do you do to stay motivated and encouraged in your ministry work?

“I think about the fact that while my hospitality may be encouraging to the visitors in my home, those who benefit the most are really those within my home– my children. By being hospitable to others, I am seizing an opportunity to train them to be hospitable when they are grown. The same could be said about anything we do, from teaching Bible class, preparing food for someone, visiting someone, etc. What I choose to do today shows my children what my priorities in life are and instills those priorities within their hearts. That is what encourages and motivates me aside from the obvious that these are works God expects and delights in.”

Continuing our interviews of the Jackson women, today we’ll spend time with SANDY JACKSON. She and her beautiful family live in California. As you read her replies, you’ll find her personality is as sunny as the state in which she lives!

Please share a little about yourself.

“Our story began when this Alabama girl shook hands with a tall, handsome, west coast gentleman at the social club mixer in front of Freed Hardeman’s Milan Sitka building 25 years ago. With a bit of persuasion to my dad, Jared and I were married in May 1990.

We have two quick-witted teenage boys (a gene passed down from their Pappaw Wayne and a few other close relatives). I am a full-time wife and mother. We have home-schooled Nicholas and Matthew since the day they entered the world. I work about ten hours each week at the Christian Courier office helping with mail-outs, church bulletins, and organizing recorded audio lessons.

Jared’s job is difficult to define. He works full-time for the Christian Courier, but his work encompasses so much. He manages the technical side of things, but he also writes a monthly Christian paper called “Fortify Your Faith” that emphasizes the practical application of biblical principles in the church and in the family. He has just finished teaching an extended class on the Bible and money that was interesting, and this only scratches the surface of what he does. In spite of his very busy work schedule, he has always been a full-time dad. His family is his most important work.”

How long have you lived in California, and what do you love about it?

“The day I received my college diploma we had the U-haul loaded to head to California, my new home for the next 22 years. Jared and I decided, even though we were married the summer before my senior year at Freed-Hardeman, we would stay in Henderson, Tennessee so I could graduate the following spring. I joke now that the finance degree helps me balance our checkbook each month. All humor aside, I gained more in those four years at Freed-Hardeman than just a degree; blessings I continually reap to this day. My husband’s family took me in as one of their own making being away from my own family a bit easier. It has been a blessing for our children to sit on the same church pew with their cousins and grandparents all of their life.

The weather here is gorgeous. I have only slightly felt one earthquake; something I don’t think as often about as others. California is deemed as “the liberal state….with fruits and nuts.” Yes, it has been hard in many respects raising a family here, but the sound teaching and warm family connections at East Main Street Church of Christ in Stockton have been the calming peace among the immoral hurdles around us. I do wish California wasn’t so far from our other friends and family across the country. A monthly cross-country trip would be nice, but the budget just has not allowed for that.”

We appreciate your efforts with the Christian Courier. Tell us about it, please.

“The Christian Courier started as a monthly journal of biblical studies in May of 1965 by Wayne Jackson, my father-inlaw. Over the years, the Christian Courier gained a reputation as a trusted and balanced source for preachers, teachers, and elders. In 1998, the Christian Courier entered the digital age by expanding to the internet. It really has become more than simply a paper. The Christian Courier now is a full-time mission work reaching more than 274,000 visitors in just the last thirty days and 2.76 million people to date this year alone. Every month people living in over 212 countries come to the Christian Courier seeking information on biblical topics. It has been amazing to see how the resources produced by the Christian Courier are being used. Once when traveling, we stopped to worship on a Wednesday night in Wyoming. In the ladies’ Bible class, the teacher pulled out an article from the Christian Courier during her lesson. People from around the world send in their questions and use the information to deal with difficult situations. It is truly a blessing to be a part of such an important and meaningful mission work like the Christian Courier.”

I know from personal experience that you’re all very hospitable. What’s your go-to company meal?

“I enjoy making chili. You can put it with cornbread, crackers, baked potatoes, corn chips, sour cream, and cheese and feed an army of people. It is comfort food for me. I also love my husband’s smoked ribs and brisket. Making sides for that meal means a good party is getting ready to take place at our house!”

Will you share one or two of your favorite recipes with us, please?

“We love chocolate chip cookies. Since Jared was diagnosed with diabetes a couple of years ago, I try not to bake them while he is home, because the smell is tortuous. We make them for potlucks, gifts, and just a small treat while watching a good ballgame. I shape them with a tiny scoop, after all it is less calories to eat 6 tiny cookies than 2 big ones, right? I have tried several recipes, but we have voted the best one is from Alton Brown’s Good Eats show and website. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/the-chewy-recipe/index.htmlYou can freeze the cookie balls and bake only the number you want/need to eat!”

Would you mind sharing something about yourself that others might never have guessed?

“I am a twin. I was born 2 minutes before my brother. My mom and dad did not know twins were in their future until an hour after my mom came out of cesarean surgery. She fed me then a few minutes later, my brother was brought to her for his feeding. She commented to the nurse, ‘There must be a mistake…’ I grew up hanging out in trees and doing boy things since my brother didn’t buy into the doll setup. I think God gave me boys to raise knowing I love anything to do with a ball, and I don’t know how to do hair.”

If you could give only one piece of marriage and/ or parenting advice, what would it be?

“Jared and I try to walk two to three times each week. We usually go for five to six miles at a time. We have found this time free of interruptions to visit, plan, troubleshoot and hopefully burn a few calories (in his case, lower his blood sugar levels). I truly believe a couple has to spend time together frequently to really enjoy each other. I’ve never bought into the idea, ‘Distance makes the heart grow fonder.’

Parenting advice? I’m still in the training process myself, but I would say cultivating a sense of belonging in the family is vital. Many enemies are attacking the home today and pulling our children away. The family is where God designed love, forgiveness, affection and discipline to be experienced and practiced to cause a child to say, ‘This is where I belong’ – as opposed to looking for these things elsewhere.”

What do you do to stay motivated and encouraged in your ministry work?

“Have people over to our house. We love company! We have a guest room ready at all times…come visit us!”

This week we’ll be interviewing three amazing Christian women. They’re all married to Jackson men! You’ll enjoy reading about them, their families, and their work with The Christian Courier. We’ll begin with BETTY JACKSON.

Betty is married to Wayne Jackson, and they are celebrating their 52nd wedding anniversary this month! They have 3 children, 10 grandchildren, 1 great grandson, and another on the way. Wayne is a writer, and Betty proofreads most of what he writes. She enjoys spending her time by keeping the books for their congregation and teaching children’s Bible classes.

How long have you lived in California, and what do you love about it?

“I was born in California. Most of all I love the church family here, for we have been here for over 50 years. California is unique in its landscapes. There are different topographies in each direction. For example, to the west is the beautiful Pacific Ocean, and to the east are the Sierra Nevada Mountains. ”

We appreciate your efforts with the Christian Courier. Please tell us about it.

“The Christian Courier started with Wayne typesetting on an IBM Selectric typewriter. Because of the spacing of words, he had to type each article twice. He burned his own negatives; also, he did the printing. When our children were at home we all helped to address and sort according to the post office requirements. Now, our sons manage all of that. I proofread the paper every month. Their children now help with the mailing, fifty years later!”

“A pot roast meal is probably my go-to meal. Enchiladas are another dish that we like.”

*You can check out Betty’s favorite pie recipe at the end of this post.

Would you mind sharing something about yourself that others might never have guessed?

“I was not reared in a Christian home.”

If you could give only one piece of marriage and/ or parenting advice, what would it be?

“A marriage ought to glorify God. Applying the golden rule in every aspect of married life will do just that, and create an atmosphere of peace, understanding, and love.

Setting boundaries and showing our offspring love helps train them according to the Scriptures.Teaching children to put the Lord first, and living the same before them will affect their spiritual lives to the Lord’s glory.”

What do you do to stay motivated and encouraged in your ministry work?

“For me, it is the realization that there is little time left to accomplish anything lasting. While some of the little things may not seem important (visits, teaching just a few children in Bible class, notes of encouragement, etc.), they are. Teaching either by example or by word can be everlasting to the beneficiaries of one’s efforts.”

*Here is Betty’s favorite recipe. She said they make it once a year at holiday time. Sounds delicious!